Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Morgantown

For many, a two-year associate degree can be the ticket to higher earning power at an affordable price. Though some types of associate degrees can be a stepping stone to a bachelor's, others are geared toward middle-skilled careers that require specialized knowledge, such as criminal justice, cybersecurity, hospitality management, and more.

Across all fields of study, someone with a two-year degree can earn a median annual salary of $49,500 as of May 2024, around 18% more than that of a high school graduate. By comparison, bachelor's degree holders can earn a median salary of $66,600 but have to invest much more time—and money—into their degree.

According to March 2025 data from the Education Data Initiative, the total cost for a degree from a two-year in-district public college averages about $35,000, compared to nearly $109,000 for a bachelor's degree. And lower costs mean fewer student loans. Just 2 in 5 associate degree recipients took on student loan debt in the 2019-2020 school year (the most recent year with available data), compared to 64% of bachelor's degree students. The two-year degree holders who did use loans borrowed less money, incurring lower interest payments.

Despite the benefits of earning a two-year degree, the number of these credentials produced across the United States is lagging. A September 2024 study from Georgetown University forecasts a nationwide shortage of nearly 361,000 credentials to fill middle-skilled jobs through 2032. However, this could be good news for anyone holding one of these versatile degrees, since the number of available jobs may soon outnumber the employees qualified to work them.

In the meantime, Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Morgantown for people with a two-year associate degree. The analysis also included jobs that listed a high school diploma, some college but no degree, a postsecondary nondegree award, or had no formal education requirement. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $47,530
- Median hourly wage: $22.85
- Total employment: 50 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $47,570
- Median hourly wage: $22.87
- Total employment: 680 people (10.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $47,950
- Median hourly wage: $23.05
- Total employment: 290 people (4.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

- Median annual wage: $47,970
- Median hourly wage: $23.06
- Total employment: 160 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $48,000
- Median hourly wage: $23.08
- Total employment: 160 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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6 / 50

#45. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $48,300
- Median hourly wage: $23.22
- Total employment: 30 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $48,410
- Median hourly wage: $23.28
- Total employment: 60 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $48,780
- Median hourly wage: $23.45
- Total employment: 60 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $49,150
- Median hourly wage: $23.63
- Total employment: 480 people (7.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $50,030
- Median hourly wage: $24.05
- Total employment: 120 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Freedomz // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Health technologists and technicians, all other

- Median annual wage: $50,390
- Median hourly wage: $24.23
- Total employment: 100 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $50,830
- Median hourly wage: $24.44
- Total employment: 230 people (3.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $51,640
- Median hourly wage: $24.83
- Total employment: 170 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $51,670
- Median hourly wage: $24.84
- Total employment: 90 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $51,860
- Median hourly wage: $24.93
- Total employment: 540 people (8.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $51,930
- Median hourly wage: $24.96
- Total employment: 170 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $53,150
- Median hourly wage: $25.56
- Total employment: 110 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $53,960
- Median hourly wage: $25.94
- Total employment: 160 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $54,040
- Median hourly wage: $25.98
- Total employment: 210 people (3.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

- Median annual wage: $55,010
- Median hourly wage: $26.45
- Total employment: 730 people (10.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Hitdelight // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $59,580
- Median hourly wage: $28.65
- Total employment: 30 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Paralegals and legal assistants

- Median annual wage: $59,630
- Median hourly wage: $28.67
- Total employment: 100 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $60,120
- Median hourly wage: $28.90
- Total employment: 80 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $60,430
- Median hourly wage: $29.05
- Total employment: 110 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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25 / 50

#26. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $60,460
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 280 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Meter readers, utilities

- Median annual wage: $60,780
- Median hourly wage: $29.22
- Total employment: 60 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $61,640
- Median hourly wage: $29.64
- Total employment: 30 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $61,980
- Median hourly wage: $29.80
- Total employment: 90 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

- Median annual wage: $62,290
- Median hourly wage: $29.95
- Total employment: 40 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $62,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 150 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

- Median annual wage: $63,180
- Median hourly wage: $30.38
- Total employment: 210 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

- Median annual wage: $64,330
- Median hourly wage: $30.93
- Total employment: 70 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $64,500
- Median hourly wage: $31.01
- Total employment: 30 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

- Median annual wage: $65,520
- Median hourly wage: $31.50
- Total employment: 320 people (4.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $65,770
- Median hourly wage: $31.62
- Total employment: 40 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $67,820
- Median hourly wage: $32.61
- Total employment: 310 people (4.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $68,200
- Median hourly wage: $32.79
- Total employment: 310 people (4.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

- Median annual wage: $73,850
- Median hourly wage: $35.51
- Total employment: 140 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $74,220
- Median hourly wage: $35.68
- Total employment: 110 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $74,290
- Median hourly wage: $35.72
- Total employment: 30 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

#10. Medical equipment repairers

- Median annual wage: $75,540
- Median hourly wage: $36.32
- Total employment: 40 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

- Median annual wage: $75,830
- Median hourly wage: $36.46
- Total employment: 350 people (5.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $76,420
- Median hourly wage: $36.74
- Total employment: 100 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

- Median annual wage: $77,050
- Median hourly wage: $37.04
- Total employment: 40 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $77,880
- Median hourly wage: $37.44
- Total employment: 70 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $81,500
- Median hourly wage: $39.18
- Total employment: 80 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

- Median annual wage: $83,790
- Median hourly wage: $40.29
- Total employment: 70 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $87,280
- Median hourly wage: $41.96
- Total employment: 60 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $103,610
- Median hourly wage: $49.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $106,820
- Median hourly wage: $51.36
- Total employment: 30 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 363 metros.